Medellín fills a long valley in the Andes at about 1,495 m, and its climate is mild all year. The metro, its cable cars and a single card, Cívica, take you to most of the places a visitor wants to see.
Getting around: metro, cable cars and Cívica
Metro lines A and B run through the valley, and cable cars, the Metrocable, climb the hillsides from metro stations. You pay with Cívica, the system's rechargeable card.
Comuna 13
Comuna 13, with its outdoor escalators and street art, is in San Javier on the west side of the city. Take line B to San Javier, the end of the line, then a short taxi ride or bus 221i or 225i to the escalators. From San Javier, the line J cable car also passes over the district.
Parque Arví
Parque Arví, a large nature park above the city, is reached by the line L cable car from Santo Domingo Savio station. Line L is a tourist line with its own fare, higher than a normal metro trip.
A day at Guatapé
Guatapé and the Piedra del Peñol, a huge rock with about 740 steps to the top and views over the reservoir, make a popular day trip. Buses leave from the Terminal del Norte through the day, and the ride takes about two hours.
Good to know
- Airport. The airport is in Rionegro, outside the city: see our Medellín airport guide.
- Emergencies. Call 123, Colombia's free national emergency line.
